Plan Your Drupal Holiday
Sights
London Eye
The London Eye is an enormous ferris wheel, near the Houses of Parliament, on the south bank. http://www.londoneye.com/. Tickets cost from about £17 online, and £19 walk-up.
South Bank
The South Bank Centre is one of the homes of London's Arts. There are always classical music events, dance, and visual arts events happening. http://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/ . Plus they run Drupal. The South Bank can also be a pleasant place to stroll on a warm evening; there are often small events happening. Kids friendly. Has a Festival of Britain running till September. Royal Festival Hall is an iconic building with many free events and art projects.
Thames
It's a big river. There are some bridges that cross it, the most famous of which is probably Tower Bridge. There are many piers along the Tames where boat trips are running.
Madam Tussauds
At which you can view diverse wax images of dead and living people. Popular for over 100 years. http://www.madametussauds.com/London/Default.aspx Buy late saver tickets online now for the best price. If celebrity interests you, it's the place to go.
Museums
Entry to most museums in the UK is free, but you are strongly urged to give a donation; our museums stay afloat through the generosity of the public. Specific events and displays may have an entry charge. London museums can be very busy over weekends, so it's best to visit during the week if possible.
Tate Modern
Most visited modern and contemporary art gallery in the world. Housed in a converted power station. South of the river. Cross the Millennium Bridge from St Paul's Cathedral to see the most spectacular view unfold. http://www.tate.org.uk/modern/ . Awesome place. Most exhibitions there are free.
National Gallery & National Portrait Gallery
An absolutely stunning museums. Many exhibitions there are free.
British Museum
The British Museum holds treasures from around the world, many of them collected during the , Empire, and as a consequence has marvels from the Rosetta stone Egyptian mummies, through to Mesopotamian statutes. In recent years the museum has been working with representatives of the nations that now exist in these areas to return treasures to their keeping.
Science Museum
Another wondrous museum, holding science and technology. See a Babbage machine! Lots of hands-on exhibits. Can get very busy over the weekend. Great place to take a child.
Natural History
A splendid museum holding skeletons of dinosaurs, whales and other large animals, as well as many smaller beasts. A fantastic place to take kids who are interested in dinos for the star attractions.
V & A
Our storepile of cultural treasures. Everything from clothing to pottery. A cornucopia of wonders. Sometimes thought of as the nation's attic.
National Maritime Museum
Charts Britain's seagoing history and mastery of the waves.
The Design Museum
If you have an interest in modern design, then this museum is a fantastic place to visit. It has examples of design classics from the 20th century in abundance. Everything from chairs through to motorbikes. A must-see.
Tea Museum
There is one!
Historic London
Buckingham Palace & changing of the guard
Buckingham Palace & changing of the guard
Pop in at Buckingham Palace (where the Queen lives, when she's in London) at the right time and you'll get to see some men in smart uniforms strut their stuff. Be there early because there are often big crowds. 11.15 am or earlier. Finishes at noon.
Trafalgar Square
Home to many pigeons, and Nelson's column and statue, celebrating his victory at the Battle of Trafalgar. In recent years the fourth statue plinth, which previously was vacant, has been used for innovative artwork. http://www.london.gov.uk/fourthplinth/ The National Gallery borders on the North edge oft the square.
The Palace of Westminster
The Palace is home to the UK Parliament. The buildings are Victorian Gothic and Neo-Gothic. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palace_of_Westminster. Visits usually have to be arranged in advance – http://www.parliament.uk/visiting/.
Big Ben
It's a clock. Or as purists would have it, it's not the clock, it's the tower that holds the clock. Find it near the houses on Parliament. Or listen to it bong on the BBC, Radio 4 in the evening news. 6Pm is a good time.
Tower of London
Once we used to keep enemies of our royalty here, often awaiting execution. Nowdays we have many fewer treason trials, and the Tower is mostly given over to a museum of armour, and the crown jewels (when they aren't in use), and family fun (were the Princes Edward and Richard murdered here?). http://www.hrp.org.uk/toweroflondon/
Westminster Abbey
If you are destined to be a king or queen of Britain, this is almost certainly where you'll be crowned; it's been the site of the coronation for almost 1,000 years (only 55 years to go!). Chances are, this is also where you'll get married. And it's popular for funerals too. It's also where many of Britain's greatest poets, artists, politicians, civil servants and churchmen and women are buried or memorialized. http://www.westminster-abbey.org/
Open spaces
Hyde Park
http://www.royalparks.gov.uk/Hyde-Park.aspx
Running from Buckingham Palace, down towards the houses of Parliament, and covering 142 hectares, Hyde Park is one of the Royal Parks. The park is a good place for a picnic, and there are often events happening – from concerts through to sports. In the North East corner you can find Speaker's corner, famed for being a zone of utterly free speech. Hear zealots of all persuasions and none on Sunday morning.
St. James's Park
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._James%27s_Park
The oldest Royal park in London. Three royal palaces skirt St James's Park. The most ancient palace is Westminster, now known as the Houses of Parliament. St James's Palace with its Tudor style still holds the title of the Court of St James despite the fact that the Monarch has lived in the third palace, Buckingham Palace since 1837. Great place for a picnic and bird watching. ICA (Institute of Contemporary Art) http://www.ica.org.uk is located at the corner of the park nearest to Trafalgar Square.
Kew Gardens
A World Heritage Site and one world's of the top botanical gardens, Kew Gardens is packed with beautiful and interesting plants. Attractions include the Palm House, which houses a tropical rain forest, and a tree-top walkway.
http://www.kew.org/
Walks
Getting around London is a lot of fun, especially if you walk it! Here are a few walks made into some funky drawings: Badaude's illustrated London walks recommended by the Guardian.
London walks: Columbia Road flower market
London walks: Fitzrovia facades
If you prefer to walk with a group or bespoke walks, go to London Walks
Outside London
45 minutes to Cambridge. Leave from Kings Cross. Train costs about £27 return off peak.
1hr 25 to Birmingham from Euston tickets from about £20.
Shopping and eating
Oxford St
The centre of London shopping. If you want to visit high street stores, you'll find them here. http://www.streetsensation.co.uk/oxford/os_intro.htm
Regents St
Brand name stores. You can find Apple here. Leads off Oxford St, from Oxford Circus.
http://www.streetsensation.co.uk/regent/rs_intro.htm and
Borough Market
Built on an ancient Roman site next to London Bridge station, the market can be dated back to 1040 - so not quite the beginning of London, but close to it! The market is filled with almost every gourmet food you could imagine and anyone could eat many amazing samples from olives, cheeses and salamis to artisanal chocolates and cakes. Many great shops, pubs, cafes and restaurants are located at Borough Market. http://www.boroughmarket.org.uk
Camden Market
A bustling mix of independent art, clothing, furniture and food. Always worth a visit.
Portobello Road and Market
A mixture of traditional market stalls, things for tourists, and and antiques. http://www.portobellomarket.org/
Covent Garden
Lots of restaurants with good, often cheap food. Street performers. Interesting shops. A good place to be a tourist with money. http://www.coventgardenlondonuk.com/
Festivals
Free Summer Festivals in London. What's on in London during DrupalCon week.
